8. State, County and Local Histories
Many contributions on the Underground Railroad appear in the collections
of historical, biographical and other materials that make up a
large number of our state, county and local histories so-called. Accounts,
which when taken by themselves are fragmentary and therefore of little
importance, have been brought to light by searching through these
histories; and not unnaturally, perhaps, the largest number have been
found in the county histories of Ohio. Six or seven of these histories
afford articles relating to the Underground Railroad; and characteristic
items and incidents have been printed in both state and local histories
besides. Illinois comes nest in the number of contributions preserved
in its local histories. The utmost diligence of the student in the library
alcoves devoted to Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York,
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, will result in the finding of from one to
three contributions only, as the case may be; while from the shelves
given to Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and New Jersey, he is not
likely to secure anything to his purpose.
